Method of



E. C. PHILLIPS.

Minion of APPrvmG cAPs To nEcEPIAcLes.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 191].

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

lninnmmimnwm @mi l |II||||||||lllllllllllllmuw /l//l//flllrlll/ll/ll/l//llll/l/ll UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

ELWOOD C. PHILLIPS, 0F CHICGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F l(ll'li-IEAIF T0 JOHN A. FITZPATRICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' METHoi) or ArrLYINe cars To nEcEPThcLEs.

Specification of Letters Patent.' Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application led May 24. 1917. Serial No. 170.590.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELwooD C. PHrLLirs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and Improved Method of Applying Caps to Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

This 'invention relates to an improved method of capping or sealing receptacles such as cans or the like, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved method, by means of which caps or covers may be quickly and eiliciently secured to the can or-receptacle, and the-usual spinning operation will be dispensed with.

In order that this improved method may be. carried into operation, an improved machine capable of such operation is shown in the drawings and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of machine for carrying out this method.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view as taken on line 2 2, Fig. l, and looking in the direction of the arrows and with parts omitted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical Sectional view of a portion of the machine, showing the parts in one position.

Fi 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3,show int e parts in anotherA position.

ig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailsectional view of a portion of the machine showing the arts in the position they 'will assume dur- 111g one step in the operation of sealing the cap on the can.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view similar to Fig. 6, showing the parts in another position.l

The drawings illustrate a foot power machine, but it 1s to be understood that the improved method mayI be carried out with equal efficiency in a power machina The mechanism is also shown as being adapted to apply a cap to a can which is circular in cross section, but it is to be understood that it can be employed with equal etticiency for applying a cap to"a receptacle which is not circular in cross section.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a supporting standard which may be of any desired size and configuration and is provided with a base 11.

Mounted upon the standard is a table or platform 12 which is adjustably secured to the standard by means of the fastening ears 13, so that the table may be raised or lowered with respect to the standard to accommodate receptacles of varying. sizes.

Spaced brackets 14: are also provided on the standard for holding the capping or sealing mechanism, and which latter preferably comprises a tubular member 15 which has bearings in the brackets 14. This tubular member comprises the body p0rtion of the sealing mechanism and embodies a head 16 having a plurality of radially disposed spaced cooperating ears 17, be'A tween which ears are pivotally mounted jaw members 18. Thesejaw members are pivotally connected intermediate their ends` with the ears 17 by means of suitable pivots 19 and one` extremity of each of the jaw members extends for considerable distance beyond the head 16 and each is provided preferably with an anti-friction roller 20. The other extremities of the jaw members 18 project beyond the head 16 and are provided with jaws proper 21. Any number of jaw members 18 may be rovided. In the present form of the invention, four are shown and as the construction of each of the jaw members is the same, the description of one will apply to them all. The jaw is provided with a shoulder 22, having an inclined face 23 directly above the shoulder and anuprightwall 24 forming a continuation of the inclined face 23.

The jaws are adapted to be separated, in any suitable manner, preferably by means v,of a spring 25, disposed between the jaws and which spring is situated within a suitable recess 26, formed in the adjacent faces of the jaw members, and the normal tendency of this spring 25 is to separate .the jaws 21.

Sliding u on the tubular member 15 is an expander 2 preferably in the form of a cone which is adapted to engage the antifriction rollers 20, when the expander is moved ina direction toward the jaws to rock the jaw members 18 about' their pivots 19, and cause the shoulder 22 to be I moved into engagement with the can 28, and against the stress of the spring 25. When the expander 27 is moved in the opposite direction, the cone shape thereof will permit the spring 25 to separate the jaws so that the can can be removed.

A mandrel 29 is provided with a stem 30a and which stem telescopes with the tubular member 15. The mandrel proper 29, stands between the jaws 21 and above the shoulder 22, the shape of the jaws being such as to permit the jaws to readily operate without contacting with the periphery of the man.

drel. The mandrel 29 is of any desired shape and configuration to accommodate the cover 30 which is to be secured to the can 28.

With the type of machine illustrated, and inasmuch as the can 28 and cover 30 to be applied thereto are circular in cross section, the mandrel will be circular and is provided around its periphery with a recessed portion forming a circumferential-shoulder 31, which is adapted to receive a anged portion 32 of the cover 30. The flanged portion 32 is also shaped as to receiver the end of the body of the can 28 and the extremity or periphery 33 of the flange portion will stand adjacent the outer face of the can body. v

The expander 27 andthe mandrel 29 are adapted to be shifted into and out of operative relation with respect to each other and to do the work in any suitable manner, such for instance as by means of an operating treadle 34, fulcrumed as at 35. A rod or link 36 connects the treadle 34 with an arml or lever 37, which passes through registerlng slots 38, 39 in the tubular member 15 and stem 30a of the mandrel 29, and has plvotal connection with the tubular member 15 by means of the pivot 40 which passes through a slot 40*l in the stem 30. A link 41 connects the lever 37 with the expander 27 and the slot or opening 39 in the stem is of such a size as to accommodate a cam face 42 on the lever 37, and which cam face engafls the lower edge or wall of the slot 39.

e lever 37 extends entirely through and projects beyond the tubular member 15 so as to engage a suitably supported stop 43, and which latter serves as a fulcrum about which the lever 37 will move when the lever is shifted in a direction to permit the jaws 18 to be opened and the mandrel 29 raised out of engagement with the can cover for the releasing operation. l

The standard 10 is. preferably tubular and the rod or link. 36 is located therein. A spring 44, of any desired type may be provided which tends normally to shift the treadle 34 in a direction to render the capping or sealing mechanism inactive, and against which'spring 44 the treadle 34 is operated during the sealing operation.

I It is to be understood that this improved method relates particularly to the securing metallic covers to cans or receptacles whose bodies are unshouldered and constructed of fibrous material such as paper, pulp or the like, and to which bodies a metallic cover or cap is secured by deflecting the edge of the cover to such an extent that the edge will be embedded or caused to bite into the body of the wall of the receptacle.

In operation, and with the type of machine illustrated, this improved method is carried out as follows:

The normal position of the parts of the mechanism is as shown in Fig. 1, that is to say the treadle will be elevated, the expander 27 is in a position to permit the j 15 and jaw members 18, together with the stem 30a and mandrel 29, until the mandrel engages and rests upon the cover 30, the flanged portion 32 `projecting above the cover so that the cover forms a pocket to receive the mandrel 29. The ianged portion 32 also projects into the circumferential recessed portion 31 of the mandrel. A further movement of the treadle 34 in the same direction will first cause the link 41 to shift the expander 27 to slide upon the tubular member 15 and force the expander between the anti-friction rollers 20 of the jaw members 18, yto rock the latter about their pivots so that the jaws will be closed with respect to each other against the tension of the spring 25 and the shoulders 22 which extend entirely across the jaw members will contact with the outer face of the wall of the can 28. In this position, the inclined face 23 will stand below the periphery of the flanged portion 32. A further movement of the treadle in the same direction will rock the lever 37 about its pivot 40, causing the cam face 42 to move across the lower face of the slot 37 of the stem 30, and as the mandrel 29 rests upon the cover 30, it cannot be moved in a downward direction and therefore this rocking movement of the lever 37 will have the effect of raising the tubular member 15, head 16 and jaws 21 with respect to the mandrel, and during this raising movement,

. the inclined face 23 of the jaws will conpose of i shown in Fig. 7 and the periphery of the cover will be embedded in the body of the can. This extremity 33 of the cover is preferably located in such a position that when it is deflected in the manner shown, it will 'be disposed opposite the body of the flanged portion 32 inasmuch as the mandrel will be opposite the deflected end, and inasmuch as the face 24 of the jaws stand in close proximity to the periphery of the mandrel and of the wall of the can, it will be manifest that the periphery of the cover will be forced into the body of the can.

It is to be' understood of course that in the illustrations shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the parts are greatly exaggerated for-the purlustrating the operation of the jaws and therefore it would seem that the space between fthe face 24 of the 'jaws and the periphery of the mandrel 29 would not permit of such an operation, but it is `to be understood that in actual practice these faces will be located'in such close proximity tha-t the metal will not buckle and pass between the faces. .f

After the sealing operation is thus completed, the treadle 34 is released and the spring 44 will move the parts back to normal position, permitting the jaws to open and raising the mandrel and jaws so that the sealed can can be removed and another inserted. v

With this improved method it will be seen that substantially the entire edge of the flange of the cap is simultaneously deected toward and embedded in the material of the body by a clamping action.

What is claimed as new is:

1. The herein described method of applying metallic caps to receptacles having a body constructed of fibrous material, which consists in simultaneously deiecting substantially the entire edge of the ange of the cap by a clamping action and embedding the said edge in the body of the receptacle.v

2. The herein described method of applying `a metallic cap to a receptacle which has an unshouldered brous body and which consists in simultaneously deflecting substantially the entire edge of the flange of the cap 'by a clamping action and simultaneously embedding substantially the entire edge of the cap in the body of the receptacle.

3. The herein described method of ap\ plying a-metallic cap to a receptacle body constructed of brous material, and adjacent the outer face of which body the flangev of the cap'stand's, consisting in deecting substantially the entire edge of the cap flange 'by a clamping action and simultaneously embedding substantially the entirel edge of the-flange in the body of the wall of the receptacle'.

In testimony whereoi= I have signed my name to this speoiicaftion, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 21st day of May, A. D. 1917.

ELWOOD C. PHILLIPS. 

